Jean raptiste gustave adolphe canet



(No Model.)

J. B. G. A. CANET.

BREEGH LOADING ORDNANGE.

No. 545,773. Patented Sept. 3,189.5.

w c I (Lil/ii I r [Z W;

J4. 45 gm,

UNITED STATES ATENT 'QFFICE.

BREECH-LOADING ORDNANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 545,773, datedSeptember 3, 1895.

Application filed April II 1894. Serial No. 507,117. (No model.)Patented in France Mareh1'7,1892,No. 220,209. and

d January 16, 1894.

To all whom it "may (mime/vb.-

lie it known that], J MAN imnrts'rn (ius'ravn Aoom'un CANEI, engineer, acitizen of the Republic of France, and a resident of Paris, in theRepublic of France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBreech- Iioading'Ordnance, (for which I h ave obtained a patent inFrance, No. 220,20t),bearing date March 17,- 1892, and certificate ofaddition thereto, dated January 16, 1894,) of which the following is aspecification, reference lreing had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to brecchloading ordnance, and comprises theimprovements in the mechanism thereof hereinafterdescribed.

An important feature of my invention'is that a part of the firing deviceis contained in the operating-lever.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure] is a rear view of a gunprovided with breech mechanism in. accordance with my invention. Fig. 2is a central longitudinal'section of the same.

The breech-screw consists of a cylinder'A, furnished on its peripherywith interrupted screw-threaded conical segments A. In some instances,however, I employ, in combination with the improvements hereinafterdescribed, an ordinary cylindrical breech-block.

B is the carrier-ring.

The movements foropening and closing the breech are performed by meansof an operating-lever K, pivoted at K to the rear face of thebreech-block and furnished at its inner end with a rounded enlargementK". A portion of the end of the breech is cut away to form a recess,which receives the operatinglever when the breech-block isin the breech.M is a handle capable of sliding axially on the lever proper K andhaving a hook M, which, when the breech is properly closed, enters ahole M in the end of the breech, being forced therein by means of aspring M N is a suitable recess provided in the carrier-bracket in sucha position that it receives the enlarged end of the lever K when thelatter is turned to unlock the breech-screw, and constitutes a fulcrumfor the said lever when I the same is pulled reaiwvardly to withdraw theblock from the breech. Said recess is formed by a hook-shaped projectionN.

The movements required in opening the breech are as follows, viz: First,the operating; lever is disengaged. from the breech; second, a turningmovement is imparted to the breechblock by the aid of the said lever K,such movement being limited by the end 1 of the recess '1 in the breech.At the end of this turning movement the shoulder or enlargement K of thelever ii enters the recess N, formed in the carrier-ln'acket. Third, thelever K is then pulled to the rear, thereby withdrawing the block.During this latter movement the shoulder K takes the part of an axis orfulcrum, and the cylindrical core of the breech-block slides in acorresponding part of the car ier or carrier-braekct. lly reason of theconical form of the screw-threaded segments, the block is very quicklywithdrawn from the breech, its cndwise movement being followed by theturning of the carrier-bracket about its hinge, which completes theopening of the breech. in form, the rearward movement thereof requiredto clear the breech is a little longer than when the screw is conical.

To close the breech similar movements in the reverse order and directionare required that is to say, the operating-lever is moved to turn thecarrier-bracket forward and press the breech-block into the bore of thegun. The block is then turned to cause the threads of the screw toengage with those of the gun. At the end of this period of rotation thehandle M of the lever K is pressed by the spring M into engagement withthe hole M provided for it in the end of the breech.

The handle M is provided with an extension lit", for a purposehereinafter specified.

The hammer, the spring, and the trigger are entirely inclosed in theoperating-lever, which is enlarged for this purpose at 1 2 3 4. Itfollows from this construction that upon the opening of the breech thetiring-pin, which remains in the screw, is separated from the remainderof thefiring mechanism.

The tiring-mechanism can be actuated at will either by means of alanyard or by a When the screw is cylindrical of the automatic firing.extension M side rod 2, which is controlled by a disengagingdevice, asdescribed in the specification of my application for United Statespatent, Serial No. 472,076. This mechanism consists of a hollow hammer0:, containing a spiral spring 0 and placed in a cavity in theoperating-lever, the said spring being compressed between the endof thecavityin the hammer and that in the operating-lever. The hammer dcarries a projection a which engages with a scar Z, controlled by aspring n. The sear Z has a projection Z opposite the toe of a rod t,which slides in the axis of the operating-lever K. This rod t isbifurcated atits outer extremity t to receive a lever '22 of specialform, which lever turns about an axis 1), and has at'z" the eye forreceiving the lanyard and at e an abutment-plate for the rod mechanism.The rod 25 is controlled by the spring M The operation of the mechanismis asfollows: The breech being closed, it is sufficient for igniting thetube to move, either by means of the lanyard or through the medium 01the rod 2, the lever 12 in the direction of the arrow. By these meansthe rod 25 is moved in the operating-lever and carries with it the searZ, which consequently releases the projection a and liberates the hammera, which is then violently projected against the firingpin and ignitesthe tube. In case of a misfire the mechanism may be cocked again bymeans of a lever w, which bears against the operating-lever K, and thesmall arm 10' of which engages with. a part tu of suitable form,provided in the tailpiece of the hammer a, as indicated. The lever to maybe replaced by a ring secured to the extremity of the hammer and. whichmay be pulled by hand, in case of a misfire, to cook the hammer. Atordinary times the cocking of the hammer is effected during the closingof the breech by the sear Z, which engages the projection a of thehammer.

When the handle M is pushed inward and during the whole time of theturning movement to release the breech-block or screw, the of saidhandleis forced against the toe of the rod t, holding said rod in itsnormal position, (illustrated in Fig. 2,) in which position the sear Z,under pressure of the spring 'n,=is in engagement with the projcction aof the hammer a, and thus the hammer is secured in cocked position, thuspreventing the gun from firing until the lanyard is operated. Firing isalsoiuipossible after the face of the breech-block, and furnished at'one of its extremities with a shoulder which at the termination of therotation of the breech screw engages in a recess in the bracket andserves as .the fulcrum during the extraction of the breecl1-block,substantially as described.

2. The combination with the breeclrblock, of the safety deviceconsisting of a handle movable on the operating lever and furnished witha hook which engages in a notch in the end of the breech, substantiallyas described,

and for the purpose specified.

- 3. The combination with the operating lever, of ahammer, spring andtrigger inclosed Within said lever, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a breech block or screw, containing a firingpin, of an operating lever containing a hammer, and a scar for holdingthe firing mechanism in cocked position, substantially as described.

5. The combination with firing mechanism, of a sear engaging the firingmechanism, a movable rod tengagi'ng said sear, a pivoted lever '0,adapted to engage and operate said rod and provided with a perforationfor attachment of a lanyard, and a rod 2; adapted to engage the lever '0whereby the firing moc anism may be operated by the lanyard or rod .2,substantially as described.

6. The combination of an operatinglever containing a hammer providedwith a projection, of a scar which engages said projectioh and cooks thehammer during the closing movement of the operating lever, substantiallyas described.

7. The combination with an operating lever,

a hammer and a rod arranged therein, and a sear engaging said hammer andengaged by said rod, of a' bent lever adapted to engage said rod andprovided with means for attachment of a lanyard, andalateralrodz adaptedto engage said lever, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set I my hand this 16th day ofMarch, 189 i.

JEAN BAlTIS'lE GUS'lAVE Alltllilllll (JANET. Witnesses:

CLYDE SHROPSHIRE, J. FRTGOUT.

